The Portland daily press., 1887-09-06
TO TALK ABOUT FISH.
The Gentlemen Whom Secretary
Rayard VIII Probably Select.
Hon. Vim. L. Putnam Likely to be a
NegotIator.
The Dominion to Have the Privilege
to Choose Its Representative.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5.-It is understood
that the six Commissioners" or "Negotia-
tors" or whatever they may be termed, who
are to represent the United States, Great
Britain and Canada on the North American
fisheries question, will meet and organize for
the commencement of business in Washing
ton city on or about Monday, the 7th Of No
vember next. The personnel of four of the
representatives, two on each side, is believed
to be practically determined. Great Britain
will be represented by Mr.. Joseph Chamber
lain.and Sir Lionel Sackville West. the Brit
ish Minister in Washington. The selection
of Canadian representative, it is authori-
tatively asserted, has been left to the Domin-
ion, subject to the general approval of the
Crown, which will follow as a matter of
course. The representatives Of the United
States, there is every reason to believe, will
be Secretary Bayard, Mr.. w. L. Putnam, of
Portland, and a third representative still to
be announced.
The third representative of the United
States will undoubted be of national reputa-
tion. 1t might be regarded as good policy to
select some leading member of the Senate
Committee ON Foreign Relations, seeing that
the conclusions of the negotiations" what
ever that may be. will depend absolutely ON
the action of the Senate for their vitality.
To this suggestion objection is opposed that
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
and the State Department have not been ON
cordial terms for some time past, and espec-
tally on the fisheries question Leading Re-
publican members on that committee from
New England, Senators Edmunds and Frye.
have from the outset been opposed to the
line of policy which Secretary Bayard sue
ceeded in carrying through both houses of
Congress. 1t has been subject of complaint
that the Demo :ratic members OF that COM
mittee have failed to establish the confden-
tial relations which are usually expected to
exist between the Senate Foreign Committee
and the Foreign Office" of the Gov
ernment. The only member of the
committee who would seem to be availa-
BILE Senator Sherman, the chairman, for
obvious political reasons being out of the
question: is Senator Evarts His expert
ence as counsel for the United States and as
Secretary of State might prove valuable
factor in the negotiations. But an obvious
query arises whether Secretary Bayard, who
was member of the Electoral Commission,
would desire to accredit the premier of Pres
ident Hayes as his associate negotiator.
One other suggestion remains which is
something startling, but not inherently i'm
| probable, which is that Speaker Carlisle is
| to be the third negotiator, and that his visit
| to the President at Oak View has quite as
| much relation to the fisheries question as to
| the tariff.
| Ii the conference, or whatever it is called,
should meet, as is now deemed probable, on
| the first Monday of November, there would
| be four weeks of clear time before the meet
ing of Congress on the 4th of December.
Much might be done in that interim. Con-
| gress itself never gets down to active work
until after the Christmas holidays. Itmight
| be good campaign card to have a plausible
| plan of settlement of the fisheries question
approved by the Speaker of the Democratic
House on the basis of free fish and sailors
rights sent to the Republican Senate for re.
| lection.